Patient praises hospital staff after life-saving treatment

A patient at Poole Hospital has given a £430 donation to the department that treated him after he praised its staff as “the hardest working people I have ever seen”.

Stuart Chinery is a patient in the hospital’s radiotherapy department. He was diagnosed with rectal cancer in March 2016 after being told he had three tumours in his body.

He underwent radiotherapy followed by surgery, and scans from March this year showed that there was no recurrence but he remains under regular surveillance. He is also currently receiving treatment for prostate cancer at Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

Stuart made the donation as a thank you for the care that he received.

The funds were raised at a cream tea event on 28 July that took place at Rockley Park Holiday Park. More than 50 people attended and there was a raffle with two cakes baked by Stuart as the prizes. The event was also held last year, raising £603 for the department.

Rockley Park Owners Association, of which Stuart is the vice-chairman, organsied the event and has held fundraising cream tea events for the past 15 years that have raised several thousand pounds for various charities.

“I was blown away by the care and compassion given to me by the hospital staff,” said Stuart.

“They saved my life and they are the hardest working people I have ever seen yet they always have a smile on their faces.

“I want to raise awareness and funds to help fight cancer and I implore everyone to undertake a screening test to ascertain what cancer they could have.

“Thanks to Rockley Park Owner’s Association and Poole Hospital Charity for their support.”

Sara Fripp, Poole Hospital Charity corporate fundraiser, was very grateful for the donation. “Stuart has been incredible in his dedication to raising cancer awareness and funds for the charity,” said Sara.

“The donation will help us provide new equipment for the radiotherapy department to further improve patient care and service.”